Devices and methods for assisting people to get up from and recline into sitting and/or prone positions are well known in the art. These devices tend to fall into two broad categories. The first general category consists of devices that are roughly fixed to a standard bed or like piece of furniture. The second general category consists of devices that mechanically raise and lower. These include beds and like pieces of furniture that contain motors which are designed to raise and lower the respective furniture to allow a person to either stand up, sit or lie down.
In most instances, the first general category of devices has some sort of a handle that is attached to a base. The base in turn anchors in some manner to a bed or like piece of furniture. The handle extends up above the level of the bed or other piece of furniture allowing the user to grab the handle to either get up from and/or recline into the bed.
While adequate for a number of applications, the type of devices just described also includes a number of disadvantages. For example, most of these devices have handles that are immovably fixed to the base. This can cause the device to be awkward to store or transport. In order to overcome this problem the device might have to be disassembled which might result in lost or damaged parts.
A further disadvantage is that the handle of most comparable devices is that they are awkward in shape and difficult for individuals using the device to grab a hold of and to adjust their hand positions once they have grabbed the handle. That is, the handles of most devices do not resemble any type of device that the users are familiar with or used to using, or they offer no advantage to the user to manipulate his or her hand positions for ease of use.
An additional disadvantage of the handle on the first category of devices is that they are small and do not offer the user a large surface upon which to place his or her hand or arm. Thus, as set forth above, the handle can be difficult to grab and it does not offer any significant advantage over simply pushing him or herself up.
Still a further disadvantage of the first category of devices is that the attaching means generally used are specific to a particular type of bed or like furniture. Thus, the device will not be able to be used on all or most beds or like pieces of furniture.
Still another disadvantage of this first category of devices is that the means to attach the device to the bed or other piece of furniture does not secure the device in place. Thus, the device can move or become unstable and even dangerous during use.
While also adequate for a number of applications, the second general category of devices described above also include a number of disadvantages. For example, the cost of such devices is prohibitive for most individuals, especially those on fixed incomes. In most instances, these devices cost thousands of dollars and are out of reach of most individuals who find themselves in need of such devices.
Another disadvantage of this type of device is that they are somewhat dangerous when in operation. That is, the mechanical device generally lifts a person to a sitting or standing position at which point there is no further support for the individual. Most of these devices do not have any bars or handles that a person can grab a hold of as they attempt to sit or stand. When the device reaches its highest point, the person operating the device must be ready and able to sit or stand on their own; there is no going back. If the person is not ready at that instant, there is a strong likelihood that they might stumble and fall.
A further disadvantage of these devices is that they are power dependent. If there is a power outage the device will not operate. As is obvious, at the time when a power outage occurs there may be a critical need for an injured or infirm person to get help to avoid problems that might be associated with the power outage such as the ability to heat or cool a home. However, it is precisely at this time that the device will not work, thus rendering the user vulnerable to such conditions.
Regardless of the prior types of assist devices, generally once attached to the bed, they take up a lot of space, and besides the utility of helping a person out of the bed, they are not of much use, they get in the way if a user would like to use a bed tray, and they are often times unattractive.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus that allows a user to easily attach the assist device to a bed or furniture, and a tray to allow the user to use the assist device while not being used to raise the individual. Beneficially, such an apparatus would make life simpler for those who need to use assist devices, increase functionality of the assist device, improve appearance, and increase the types of activities that the disabled can participate in.